The new additions at Charles Kirkconnell International Airport, new baggage equipment and an expanded departure area, was unveiled in late January 2015.
The brand new baggage screening machine complies with standards to allow international departures from Cayman Brac to the United States, for the first time since 9/11. The expansion also helps put Cayman Brac in a strategic position to reach Cuba, which is a massive launching point for people who travel to and from Europe.
The growth of the airport is seen as a massive step in a new era in transportation for the country and also a potential force to help boost the Brac’s economy. The Deputy Premier, Moses Kirkconnell, said “As you walk out of the airport you see it. The taxi drivers, the hotels, the private villas, the other operators of tourism attractions here. It will filter down and trickle down all the way into the economy.”
The airport also is important for catering for tourist and Caymanian’s looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Cayman, or for those who wish to access the 40 different Cayman Island diving sites that are around the Cayman Brac.
The expanded facility can now comfortably accommodate 170 passengers, and is able to service jet and Embraer aircrafts at the same time. Cayman Airways are in the process of securing the certification to introduce new flights to and from the US and Cuba. The new service should be active in June 2015
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